


Hopak

by EaRayos



Series: Adventures with violin in hand [2]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Orchestra, F/M, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-14 17:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10540827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EaRayos/pseuds/EaRayos
Summary: Second Semester for Jyn at the Yavin IV music college and she seems to have so much to learn yet, like what is to feel at home?Second part of Adventures with Violin in Hand, sequel to Palladio





	

Summer passed, and a new semester started in the Yavin IV University of Music.This time, Jyn Erso was coming early, excited to be able to play once again. Carrying her instrument’s case, and a small messenger bag, she reached her classroom where Professor Baze Malbus was. The asian man was playing the piano from his small classroom but seeing her come over brought a twinge of a small smile into his face. 

 

“Late by two minutes. Better take out the violin now.” he raised the stand for her to play.

“Actually, I got here two minutes early, professor.” she said smirking as she took her violin out. 

He scoffed. “I’m the professor. I say what comes and goes. Now play what you have to do. You got the scales book right?” she nodded. “Right. Start playing.”

 

She placed her scales book into the music stand, and began playing after positioning her violin in her left shoulder, holding it with the chin, and passing the bow softly against the chords, as she stepped on the metal strings with her left hand’s fingers. After she presented three scales, which he deemed passable, he assigned five more for next class, and ordered her to take out the sheet music she had for one of the Concertos from Bach. She began to play once again, and to this he frowned. 

 

“Wrong. It’s allegro. Plus you should make a slight more paused. Go.”

 

She began again, and taking in consideration his point. 

 

“No, no, no. Again.”

 

Repeat, now looking at the piece intently. 

 

“Again. Feel the tones.”

 

Jyn just got mad. 

 

“Alright professor. Why don’t you do it?”  she handed him the violin.

 

With a smirk, he pushed it towards her, and took his own out, from a case besides him. His was more aged than hers was, a Stradivari. Jyn gasped at the sight of him playing such a masterful instrument. The burly man, now out and about of his seat, placed his own violin into his left shoulder and began playing. The sounds it emitted resonated across the whole room, making a simple piece sound like it was the most complicated yet beautiful one ever. The danish woman stared in awe, almost falling by the entrancement she had, locked completely to the sounds of it. It was definitely something worth watching. Soon, he stopped playing the whole piece and after opening his eyes, when he finished the last note long, Baze Malbus glanced at his student, still in shock. 

 

“Could…” she stopped. “Could you play it again? I didn’t catch it.” she tried smiling but she was still brain frozen.

A knock came. “Baze, I heard you playing is that--. Oh, hey Jyn. I see you got Baze out of the chair. That’s a sight for sore eyes.” the perpetrator began. 

“Cassian.” the professor sighed, mostly done. 

“So, she’s playing the allegro concerto.” he entered, inviting himself to her class as if she wasn’t there. He turned to her. “Play it.”

She scoffed. “Now you sound like Professor Malbus.” she tried glaring at his brown eyes but to no avail. He was technically her first friend in this college. 

“Doesn’t matter. Play it.” he tried giving her a smile of encouragement.

“I’ll play it when you get out.” she challenged.

 

Cassian was someone she missed during the break. He had asked for her phone number but they barely dared to write each other. Her, studying languages to keep up and also travelled to visit her parent’s grave, and he… well, she didn’t know and didn’t ask. They just spoke freely about movies and music pieces they enjoyed by text messages. She guessed he was just as private as she was about their personal lives. Now he was here in her presence and all she could think of was how different it was to have him in person and not over by messages, and Jyn Erso had missed him, but not as much as she missed her parents. 

 

And she still would deny she missed them if someone ever asked her. 

 

Cassian gave her an easy smile, one that warmed hearts. “Fine, I’ll wait outside for my class with professor Malbus. I should get doing to professor Draven’s theory class.” he nodded and left. 

Jyn heard her professor scoff besides her, having watched the exchange between the two friends. 

“It’s been long since I saw that boy smile. But he’s right. Play now. So I can grade you.” 

Once again, the danish went to position, and began to play. 

 

The hour the class took finished, and then she was off to music theory. She glanced at the classroom from afar, and with disdain, she walked away around the hallways. There, she heard a piano, and found Cassian in a small classroom with a piano, playing a soft melody she was enjoying. She tried looking more inside, and saw that the professor inside was pale haired and very serious. The man raised his sight and with a quick glare, he sent the danish woman away from the door. Sighing, she kept on going and met with Chirrut and Bodhi.

 

“Ah, Jyn! Are you ready to begin orchestra today?” the blind man smiled, directing his sightless sight at her, scaring her slightly. “Don’t be scared, little sister! Just in case, that’s Baze’s nickname for you when we go back home. But don’t tell him I said so! Let him believe it! Now, Bodhi here--” 

 

He kept going on about the pieces he wanted to select for the play, and she just looked at her stand partner. He gave her a sheepish look and with an awkward smile, and pulled her towards him as a bit of support, making her lose her step slightly but with a slight giggle, let him carry her as they followed the blind professor to their new classroom. She didn’t know where it was going to be but her friend did, and he wore a hint of a smirk in his usually passive face, which she noticed contained an inner nervousness behind his eyes that was never quite still. It was something that made her want to protect him above anything, even if he showed himself as a strong person that didn’t want to be messed with. 

 

She walked out the double green doors of the hallway, and once outside in the courtyard, which had fountains and trees and just everything a musician needs to wind out, or play without distractions and the serenity that brought the peace of this place. Her first semester there she barely glanced at it, but now, watching how the strings sat around her, playing, and on the other side where the woodwinds and brass, she was loving it, and she felt so…

 

At home.

 

Scared, Jyn looked away and let Bodhi guide her away from the patio, thinking they were going through the green metal doors from last time’s string orchestra classroom. But then, the palestinian man took a turn, still following their professor, and continued the walk. She asked him about how classes were doing and he answered with a quick spoken yes, and exchanged few words, until they reached their destination, which made the woman hold her gasp. 

 

They were going to practice in the stage. The stage they use to perform. The place had over five thousand red cushioned chairs, all facing the wooden platform that had red velvet curtains with golden endings. It had stairs on the side, for easy comfortability to anyone that would need it. Her friend ran up the stairs to the control room, and turned on the lights, that gave sight to the chairs and stands waiting for the group, which was going to consist of more than 30 people. Violin case in hand, messenger in the other, she walked slowly towards the stage, and stood facing where the public would seat. A sense of ownership and pride overtook her, and a smile came to her face. 

 

“That is a very nice look you have there, 妹妹.” the professor laughed at his own joke. “Oh! You’ll be first stand second violin, by the way. Alongside Bodhi here!” the asian man finished, having walked towards her seat and stand, tapping them. He later moved to take a seat he pulled out for himself as conductor. 

Bodhi ran over, and placed his instrument by his chair, “Excited, Jyn?” he smile softly.

“Excited? More like dreading! We’re basically the top of the second violins! This is… This is huge, Bodhi!” she tried not to pace but very much began to do so. 

“Jyn! Jyn. Calm… calm down.” he began, leaving his violin in the chair and coming towards her and picked her case with his right and with his left placed it in her shoulder. “We’ll… We’ll do fine. You’ll see!” 

 

She nodded, after looking at him. She saw he had the same fear as her, and both went to their seats and prepared their instruments. Soon, the stage was getting filled out. In came the twins Leia and Luke, taking their chairs in first row from the first violins, the blonde man as the concertino once again and his sister at his side. With them came two men, both clarinet players. The one that Jyn dared to call handsomely rogue-ish was Han Solo, and his partner had the odd name of Chewie, which nobody questioned it and just rolled with it. In came after them Arturo, a blue dressed man that was in the percussions and played the oboe, and his best friend Cassey, the golden haired tall dude that played the french horn and bassoon. Both came happy with their respective equipment bickering about galaxy and space themed movies. Jyn was presented to the newcomers as Liana Hallik, something that neither Bodhi nor Chirrut had deemed it necessary to fix, so the danish woman decided to let it run as they wished to run. As long as it kept them away from her personal life she didn’t mind. 

 

“Oh, hey! You’re that _garota_  Cassian talks about!” a foreign voice spoke behind the small group and the violinist turned around. She was met with a woman that screamed hispanic or latina. “Shara Bey! I play the viola! First stand, or so Chirrut has sent me!” she laughed extending her hand to shake. 

Another hand came over to be shook as well. “Kes Dameron, at your service. I play the cello.” the brown haired with slight tan skinned and stubble in his chin said. 

“Um… nice to meet you both.” Jyn spoke, but she was still hung on the part that Cassian spoke of her, feeling self conscious. 

The couple smiled. “If you ever need any help, always let us all know. Musicians grow when they join forces.” the man that Jyn decided was puertorrican said. 

“Yeah. Although, Cassian is always available if you need him” the slightly darker skinned woman finished with a wink. 

“Haha… I’ll keep it all in mind.” the danish woman forced a smile. 

 

Now that the rest had come over, Kay and the mexican man taking second stand in first violins, they all took to their seats and positions, as professor Chirrut passed the music piece to them all. It was a three pager, to which Jyn took the invisible tape and stuck the pages as one long piece (earning a grin and thumbs up from Leia seeing she had used the technique). She placed it now in the stand, facing her and Bodhi. The long haired man nodded hello to the players behind them, Ezra and Sabine, both that were silently discussing something Jyn didn’t want to hear about but still introduced herself. The blind professor got his baton, and began hitting it against his music stand to get attention.

 

“Children! Today we’ll start with Symphony no. 1 Op. 21, the Adagio, from Ludwig Van Beethoven. Next class we’ll start with Concerto XI allegro from Geminiani, and finally, Hopak from Joanne Martin. Now. let’s begin.” he spoke smiling, directing his expression everywhere he knew students were, which was all of them.

 

He raised the baton, and with a guidance, the woodwinds began the soft start, alongside the strings quick pizzicato and later quick bow swipe. Then the melody quickly started, coming in a rush but with soft moments, that would remind anyone of being in the fields like in the old movies of europe. Jyn just remembered the landscapes in Denmark and England, since her family moved to fields and a cottage near the sea, and it didn’t even look like a beach house. The danish woman tried to suppress the memories, but it only just forced her to play better, eliciting a grin from the professor, as if he knew what she was thinking. This piece had just become one of her favorites. 

The woodwinds worked very independently of the strings, and that was something that needed to be deemed noted. It was the first piece they practiced, and no one was allowed to take back seat in any note since each note needed to be the correct one so as to make a perfect harmony. Jyn was impressed by how well everybody was synchronized playing even when they were all separated. Sure, some notes didn’t landed, but the rest was just amazing. Chirrut seemed to have noticed this as well, and so when they stopped, he praised them all, fixed the few mistakes they had, and after playing the new arrangements, they were set to leave. 

 

The danish woman got to her apartment and was already waiting for Saw’s arrival, opting for cooking whatever she found on the fridge. When she finished making fries and hamburger, her godfather came over and questioned about how things started. Smiling, she began retelling everything and how it went. The dark skinned man grinned back, and told her how proud he was that she had found friends and something to be passionate about.

 

….

 

“Jyn… pause. Pause. It’s presto. Give more emotion. It’s Vivaldi. Vivaldi wants it all out. Don’t hold back neither feel insecure. Think you’re in the stage already. Give crescendo here and decrescendo there” Baze Malbus instructed with a resigned tone, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

She slightly glared, but towards the piece. “好的哥哥。”she muttered between teeth. 

He froze. “Did you just…”

 

She didn’t let him finish, for she was already playing from start, pouring her anger and stress out, towards the piece. It was Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor Op 3, No. 6, third movement. And she was hating to play it, even if she loved to listen to it. Two different things that didn’t sit well with her. She loved Vivaldi’s pieces but actually getting her fingers on it, it was a complete no go. This time, she got to finish the movement, and breathing hard, she faced her professor. 

 

“...Is something bothering you?” was all the burly man asked, after the small silence as he waited for her to calm down.

She tensed, but just let it all out with a sigh. “Chinese test. Failed. It was the first one.”

The man thought and gave a slight comforting smile. “Jyn, it was the first, next time strive to aim better.”

“But I just can’t!” she almost yelled. “I have tried everything for this class! It’s the 3rd part! And 老师 must have a secret agenda on making us all fail and--”

“Jyn.” she stopped ranting. “You got me and Chirrut if you need tutors. Let us know when your next test is and we can give you the day before to rest, so you can do it peacefully.”

 

Jyn wanted to cry. It was only a month in with this semester and she was feeling so close to everybody. Closer than she has ever gotten with Saw. Finding out her two favorite professors are always willing to help, especially the big serious tough one was willing to do so too, it just made her heart swell. 

 

“Also, if you need a new theory professor. Let me know. Krennic has been complaining you aren’t going to his class and it’s really annoying. Would you prefer Draven, Cassian’s professor?” Baze asked, trying to suppress a smirk since he knew her answer. 

“NO! I mean, no, thank you.” she had tried to sneak and watch Cassian play piano for the theory class, and each time the older man in that classroom would glare at her. He once complained to her mexican friend about how annoying it was that she visited and that earned her an awkward moment with the brown eyed man. 

“Alright. I’ll sign you up with Mon Mothma. She’s the director but she’s amazing giving the class. You’ll love her.”

 

Jyn nodded. The class ended and she walked over to the stage room and met up with Bodhi who was already in the seat practicing today’s piece as Leia and Luke crowded him. The danish woman had noticed how much the blue eyed blonde stared at her best friend and she was aiming to tease him daily about it. Not with both present, since she wasn’t that of a bad friend. She took her seat and began preparing her violin, when she saw Cassian and Kay running towards the stage short breathed. Shara and Kes walked over them and the four began to talk about something that made the violinist curious. Leia, sporting buns once again, noticed her interest.

 

“The four of them go way back. I think they were even in the adoption center together and then lived in the same neighborhood without knowing until later. They’re probably preparing their next quartet piece.”

“Quartet?” now that was something interesting for her.

“Yeah. They do the best quartets ever! Each year they prepare new ones and have won prizes in the competitions they have participated!” sunny joyous Luke answered with a bright smile.

“Hmm…”

 

The four people that were previously huddled separated when Chirrut entered with grins for everybody and cane flinging around as he talked about his latest adventure. He loved coming over with stories of his life and to tell the truth, they were very interesting. Most of those stories were about how he tricked people with his blindness. He got to his seat and with his baton that the black haired older man took out from his sleeve, and began conducting the piece that was in the stand, Hopak, Joanne Martin’s arrangement. 

 

Quick tremolos started the song for the string section, as the winds picked into the melody of the song. After various compasses of tremolos, the strings started on the symphony, starting with the first violins and second violins doing the deeper voice. Cellos and violas gave a different sound to it, but just lovely, since it was what gave the hidden emotions to the voice, like what you can feel when someone is narrating, which in this case, it was the first violins. It was how Jyn associated the music. First violins spoke, second violin gave a message, and cello and violas transmitted the feeling as the winds beautified everything. It didn’t always work so, but it was the case of the one they were playing this time. Smiling, the danish woman played, feeling a warmth as she poured her feelings towards it. Small glance to Bodhi she saw he was the same, less nervous neither anxious, and Cassian and Kay were so concentrated, with their lips tied and closed eyes. Kes, who sat opposite to the first violins with his partners, was with a wide grin, playing the cello, and his girlfriend Shara was with a serious expression, giving off all her emotions, just as Jyn did. 

 

“Alright! I can almost say you are all ready for the concert! So now, I will take by separate groups. Winds, you guys are first.” the professor spoke once they finished playing, and he walked, passing the strings, and towards the the clarinets. “Now, play, I want to hear some details that we need to help.” he said with a smile. 

 

Jyn watched as the bassoons, clarinets, flutes, trumpets and horns played, but she was getting bored slightly so she opted to whisper with Bodhi about trivial things, he had asked her about languages, and so she was teaching him portuguese, which he had wanted to learn after knowing his mother tongue and english. A movement caught her sight, and she looked up, to see Kes waving his bow and looking at someone from first violins. She followed his gaze and caught Cassian raising his eyes to his best friend. A smirk formed in the mexican’s lips (and Jyn was wondering how cute those lips looked to later think it was a weird thought) and the man began doing hand gestures. She looked at the puertorrican, and noticed the man was also giving hand signatures back. It was like the latinos had a secret conversation. Then, Shara began communicating with them, with those brute signs, to which Kay, _ Kay  _ the british proper man, answered back the same way but with new ones. Jyn was amazed at this, how the four were speaking from afar with those movements and expressions in their faces. Kay was the least expressive, but she just concluded that the latinos were the most expressive given their rich culture that she was beginning to like as she learnt from her fellow colleagues. 

 

The brazilian woman noticed Jyn staring, and with a smirk, she pointed at the danish woman, and with her two arms a confusion of movements, to later make a heart with her hands, above her chest, and then with her right, pointed her index finger upwards, and made a twirl.  _ “You everything love this?”  _ . That’s what Jyn concluded. The green eyed woman, not knowing, she passed the bow to her left hand were her violin was located, and signaled with her right arm, bending the elbow and taking the right hand towards the shoulder, but making the palm facing upwards, stretching the fingers out, and gave it a little shake.  _ ‘What?’ _

 

Shara tried something new. She once again pointed to Jyn, then made the heart again, finally moved the arm give a slight circle with her index finger pointing upwards, and smiled. “You like this/us?” 

 

Jyn grinned. With her right hand raised, she closed it to a fist, hidden palm facing her, and bended the wrist as if nodding. Shara held a squeal, and pointed at Jyn, to later raise her right hand,  touched the side of your forehead with the tips of the fingers of the hand in a flat shape, lowered it, facing the green eyed woman again, closed it to a fist with thumb at the side close palm facing the danish, and later moved the thumb to the front fingers, and then raising index finger up and thumb out. _ ”you know sign language?” _ Jyn did her previous hand gesture again, still with a smile. 

 

Kes brought his brows slightly together, and scrunched his nose twice, and Shara spoke something with him with signs they knew. To Jyn, that nose movement reminded her of how bunnies would smell something. The violinist, not wanting to feel like an intruder again, looked at Cassian who was staring at her, with a slight amazed gaze she had to take it from his eyes as he stood serious. The corner of his lip twitched, and he went to talk with Kay about something. 

 

“What was that all about?” Bodhi asked.

“The hand gestures?” Jyn asked.

“Nah, I know their hand gestures, it took a little while, but I learnt it in case of some help. But what you and Shara did, I got lost.” he frowned slightly. 

Jyn suppressed a laugh. “I got lost when they were doing the hand gestures. She asked me if I knew sign language, to which I said yes.” she did the motion with the hand again. 

He smiled. “Another language you’ll have to teach me, at least to survive.” he chuckled low. 

“I will, but what was it that Kes did with his nose?” she asked. “That was something I hadn’t seen before and Shara seemed to know instantly.”

“Oh, that’s something puertorricans do without knowing. It means ‘What’. They do it unconsciously when they want to ask it, or when they do ask too. Shara does it sometimes, since it’s pretty effortless.”

Jyn tried to do it, but it only made her do weird faces to which Kes and Bodhi snorted. She glared at both. 

“You’ll need to practice it… if you want to survive.” Bodhi finished smirking slightly.

“Shut up. Sign language is more needed.” she huffed but still smiling. 

 

The practice finished with Chirrut taking the strings by solo, and making slight alterations to the piece. When they started packing their instruments, Bodhi staying behind to talk with Luke about some piece he wanted to play with him for the upcoming concert, a looming shadow took his spot besides Jyn, and she looked up guessing who was already by some feeling she was having.

 

“I didn’t know you knew sign language.” Cassian said, sitting down besides her and placing his own violin (another Stradivari that the danish woman wanted to steal since she had a Lamberti) into his case. 

“I’m a language student, I hoard the knowledge of certain words from non targeted languages.” she chuckled. 

“Shara still can’t take her smile off. She felt like the only one that knew ASL and no matter how much she tried teaching Kay, Kes, and me, we never learnt.” 

“Now she has me for it. Too bad I don’t know much.”

“Enough to understand her at least.” she nodded at his words. “Well, ...we’ll have to teach you our signs. They are pretty obvious to understand.”

Jyn scoffed. “No offense, but those are signs that not even a fifth grader would understand them.”

Bodhi smiled one of his rare smiles that warmed people, “Are you saying signs have to be childish?” 

“...Maybe.” 

 

The friends separated to reach their own living places. 

 

Two weeks passed, and Jyn decided one day to come earlier than usual. She went in and walked around the hallways, landing into a door, as she heard a piece of music playing. Recognizing the certain ‘voice’ of a violin, she got on her tiptoes and spied inside, smiling at her new finding. 

 

Cassian was with Kay, Shara, and Kes. The four best friends were concentrated in their music stands, that carried pages of a piece Jyn had heard before in the living room but not in person; Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings in E Major. It was one of her favorite pieces of the composer. Smiling, she opened softly the door, sneaking in, and sat against the wall, closing her eyes listening to them play. When she entered, it began with violins, but the viola and cello gave way to a stronger feel to it when they came in, and as they kept going, the danish woman was inspecting how much they got into the music. Cassian stared at the piece with intense, while playing, as if the piece will run away at any minute. Kay was very calm, almost as if he knew it by memory already, barely glancing at it, opting for closed eyes and quick looks that take only seconds. Shara was semi serious, but there was something in her eyes as she played that showed how much she enjoyed to play her viola, especially with her friends. Kes was sporting the same look as his girlfriend, only that he sometimes got so into the melody, that he seemed as if he was being taken into a flight. The green eyed woman couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. Soon, they stopped playing, giving a unison note, creating a perfect harmony. The quartet looked at each other, smiles taking control, being in their own bubble. Jyn felt like an intruder, someone not supposed to see this intimate moment of friendship, but having never seen something so nice and unique, or even felt it, she opted to stay, and be happy for them. 

 

Kes moved to the side, since he was the one facing the entrance alongside Shara, and smiled. 

  
  


“ _Hola_ Jyn, how long have you been there sitting?” he smirked. 

Cassian and Kay tensed, since they were both giving her their backs. 

Jyn smiled. “Almost since the beginning of the Serenade. Gotta say, impressive.” 

“I detected about ten mistakes along the way, but it’s… impressive what we have achieved in short notice.” Kay spoke first harshly, but later got a happy medium with what the danish woman spoke. 

“What is this? Kay being nice?” Shara commented throwing a low chuckle. 

“He means well.” Cass sighed. 

It was Jyn’s turn to laugh low and short. She felt slightly part of them. 

“So, you liked it?” Shara spoke, her brown eyes staring at Jyn as if trying to uncover a mystery. 

“I found it quite lovely.” the danish woman broke into her british accent, making Kay’s eyes widen a bit. 

“Hey Cass, she liked the piece you picked.” the other woman smirked, glancing at the first violin that was appearently the mexican guy. He slightly reddened. 

“I’ll take that as an accomplishment. Now, don’t you have class, Jyn?” he spoke looking at his violin instead, to clean it.

Jyn checked her watch. “Damn it. I’m going to be late!” she sped away. 

 

She was progressing, and Baze was glad she did so. She was also going to Mothma’s classes that was before Malbus’ and he was also praising her for doing so, since that helped her read faster and catch the tempos better. Baze dotted on her as if she was the adoptive little sister, (meimei as he would say in chinese. She asked him once to write her the characters in her books and he did so chuckling writing: 妹妹 for her), and so he went off to the orchestra class, in which there, Chirrut had a surprise for them. 

 

“I’m changing the repertoire. We’ll do now Holst’s Book Green Suite instead of Geminiani! Let’s start now with the prelude, shall we?” the blind man with short black hair said smiling, and handing the music pieces with no stumble to the musicians, and no mistake of giving the wrong instrumental piece to them. 

 

This made Jyn glad. She disliked Geminiani’s piece. But then worry came to her. There were two months left for the concert, will they be able to pull off doing Holst? Professor Îmwe appearently did so. It was only 4 pages, what he gave them. First movement was the Prelude, second page was the second movement named Airs, and the last movement, for the remaining pages, was Dance. She tried doing the pizzicato like Bodhi did (who was besides her grinning for having influenced her), and quietly enjoyed the piece. It was fairly easy, but nice sounding, she could see anybody liking it. The danish woman glanced quickly to Cassian and Kay, whom both were talking about the sudden change, and feeling as if being watched, the brown haired man’s gaze averted to her, and warmly smiled at her, causing her to switch sight towards her best friend, who sat besides her. 

 

“I actually like this change. Dance is my favorite part. Hope it comes for the concert…” he muttered to her. 

 

And it did came for the concert. The months flew, and they succeeded dominating Holst and even enjoying it, but the professor decided to go to start with Beethoven, continue to Holst, and finish with Hopak. The danish woman entered the backstage hallway, meeting with Chewie playing guitar against a contrabassist, and the other students clapping at the challengers. She smiled, finding the odd war very entertaining, when she felt someone tap her shoulder from behind. Turning, she was met with brown hair and brown eyes, but not the ones she felt fantasizing about sinnfully. 

 

“Hey Bodhi. Are you ready?” she smiled at the long haired man. 

He smiled back. “Hi Jyn. I was going to leave my violin here and go to the audience to cheer on Cassian and the rest. Want to come?” She nodded. 

 

Both friends left their instruments backstage, trusting Leia and Luke with them (Luke was more than glad to be trusted by Bodhi since both had been pinning for each other and no closure has been done, she needed to do something for them) and raced to get seats together, close to the stage. The lights were dimming, and the curtains opened. The crowed clapped when the four friends entered, smiling. The mexican man was looking at the crowd, and when his eyes found the green ones of Jyn, his eyes communicated something she was still debating if she wanted to understand or not. Once they saluted the public, the quartet took seat, and started playing. 

 

It had improved much more than when she had sneaked into that classroom when they played, and that surprised her. She felt like she was in the presence of music gods, the mythological muses from the greeks, for she found the four musicians made no errors, and had a deep connection between them. They didn’t have to glance at each other, since the trust of entering at their due time without the guidance of the concertino, in this case Cassian, who played as if he was meant to be there. Lost with the music, Jyn Erso had a new light shined to her from her friends. 

 

They stopped playing, and the danish woman was saddened it ended quickly, standing up to appalud to her friends, and being shoved by Bodhi quickly, ushering her to quickly move backstage to congratulate them. Nodding, she ran with him in her Short strapless black dress and flats, to meet with Shara, Kes, Kay, and Cassian, who were now with the rush of having done good. 

 

“That was brilliant!” the pakistani man spoke grinning and hugging Kay, who gave a side pat, looking at Kes for help. 

“Were we?” Cassian asked, but was looking at Jyn. 

A quick heart beat skipped under his gaze, but she kept composed. “Indeed. It saddened me when it ended, I wanted more.” she chuckled. 

“Next concert, we’ll be performing. Plus we will need to practice more since we’ve received various calls to play in weddings and some other activities.” Shara smiled at Jyn, holding her hand quickly and giving a squeeze. 

“Don’t forget funerals!” Kay shouted.

Cassian laughed, throwing an arm to Jyn’s shoulders very casually, making her stiffen slightly but relax. 

 

Chirrut came over backstage with Baze, and wished the players good luck and ushered them to stage. Grinning, the small group went over to their respectful seats and prepared quickly the pieces they were going to play in order, so it was easier to pass. The curtains opened, revealing the students of the orchestra class, all in their dark suited glory. They all took slight bows to the audience, and sat, bows and fingers ready, faces all watching their maestro. 

 

Îmwe stood with the baton in hand, and with his bright smile and glassy eyes, he lowered it, giving way to Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 1st Symphony. Starting with pizzicato on the first three compasses for the second violins. Bow using came in seconds, and the conductor directed them when to start and how it had to be, giving the tempo with his baton. Double notes were divided between the students per stand, making it easier for all of them. The three pages were played accordingly to the time it has to be, no rush or lagging, and in came Holst’s Dance. A small pause between the two pieces was done, with the musicians standing up and back down to play. 

  
  


The third movement began with a light quick notes with strings, as the winds in the back gave a magical tone, as if one were dancing in space. The Bass gave the grave notes, ones that shook the bones of your body, as if opening the skin to give way for them all to play. If Jyn could have a favorite piece she had ever played, it was this one, it was just her piece, given it left anyone open with their feelings. Dance was divided into 8 parts, which helped when they practiced if they got lost. Sad part of this, was that it finished fast, with only two pages,and silent notes from the second violins. 

 

Again they stood up, bowed slightly, and back to seats. Professor Chirrut Îmwe’s sightless sight was serious. Their last piece. Hopak. With his baton direction, quick tremolos from the chords began, the cello bringing the melody from the start, to pass to the melody. Solemn, filled with an emotion that could bring your inner sadness in a beautiful way, was how Jyn perceived the beginning. A contrasting difference between Dance and Hopak. The concertino, Luke, gave the voice to the piece, winds carrying the setting of how one’s play would go. It was nearing the end, when the danish woman’s hatch inside her mind opened, and gave way to what she had hid almost all her life. The tears threatened to come, as she remembered her parents’ funeral in that rainy summer day, at their cottage in La’hmu, a hidden gem in British territory. How her dad’s best friend had tried to buy their company hearing she was only…

 

The piece ended, and so did the darkness, bringing light into her life. 

 

It might've also been that she had her eyes closed as she finished the piece, having unconsciously memorized it. Bodhi was pulling her slightly, so she stood up with the rest of them. A bit dazed, she glanced at Cassian, who tried to mask his worry towards her with the smile for the audience, and she was glad he didn't do any movement towards her, because Jyn Erso wasn't going to crumble in anybody’s arms. 

 

The students picked their instruments and placed them in their respectful cases. Before the danish woman could turn around, an arm around her waist made her stiffen. Ready with a punch, she turned around. She tried to swing but the intruder held it with his other hand, and noticing the tone of color, she knew who it was.

 

“Hey, Jyn. You ready to go?” 

“Go? Go where?” she furrowed her brows.

“We’re all going to the Cantina!” Leia claimed from behind Cassian, smirking. “It's a pizza place. Even Chirrut and Baze are going!” 

“Yeah! They also serve a delicious blue milk!” Luke thought almost travelling someplace, Bodhi holding his hand. 

‘ _ Would you look at that?’ _ Jyn thought. “Um…

I don't know…” she did feel emotionally exhausted.

“Come on, I’ll invite you a round of beers or vodka…” The mexican man who still held her waist smiled.

She smirked. “... two vodka rounds and we have a deal.” he smiled.

 

The twins, Bodhi, Shara, Kes, Kay and the professors walked away, making Cassian’s smile turn neutral, and his brows get slightly closer. His cheeks sucked in slightly, making small dark dimples by his unshaven face gave way he was about to come with something serious towards the green eyed woman who couldn't stop staring at his averted eyes.

 

“Jyn… is everything alright?”

“Yes.” she lied. “Why?” 

“You seemed distressed when we finished Hopak… are you sure?” 

She nodded, not trusting her voice. 

“Jyn…” he began, debating if to go on. His hold wavered a bit. “Just so you know… you are at home here… I have seen it. I trust you and I hope you trust me too.” 

 

That was all she needed to turn and hold to his white shirt and black tie. Strong shakes of her body overtook her with the tears that now smeared her makeup into the white canvas, but he still held her, now embracing her in a hug, to shield her. She tried speaking but he just shushed her, wanting her to let it all out before they could meet their friends. She let him even pet her hair that was safely in her typical bun, something she didn't even let Bodhi do because she once bit him when he did. 

 

When her crying became sniffs, he brought a napkin to her face, to clean the remaining tears that strayed. She tried to push him away, since she had now messed his wardrobe. Laughing, he took the button shirt off after taking the tie away and an embarrassed Jyn observed as he changed into a cream shirt. He finished cleaning her face from the makeup, and brought her with him in his car to the cantina, where they met their friends already eating pizza.

 

“I hope you guys saved me a sportsman all for me.” Cassian chuckled. 

“No, ‘ _ mano _ . We ate it all. You’ll have to order one yourself!” Kes joked, pulling a box out from behind a laughing Shara who had a beer in hand.

“Jyn! I saved you a spot!” Bodhi said, scooting to the side of the booth seating. 

“I hope you feel better now, little sister.” Chirrut smiled her way. 

She nodded, and even if she had forgotten he was blind, his wider smile told her he knew what she did. 

  
  


The large group enjoyed each other's company as they joked and teased (especially Cassian that was deeply infatuated with the owner’s skin and how much he was yearning to touch it “come on! His short arms are greenish and less wrinkled!” “if it's green you should stay away!”). Jyn got her two vodka shots from Cassian and the rest was beer for all of them, and Luke, ever so curious, asked the professors what are the plans for the next semester.

  
“My little jedi…” Chirrut began endearing. “That'll be Ancient Airs and Dances…” 

**Author's Note:**

> Translations?:  
> 妹妹: little sister in chinese (pinyin: méimei)  
> garota: woman or girl in portuguese  
> 好的哥哥: okay, older brother in chinese (pinyin: hăo de gēge)  
> 老师: professor in chinese (pinyin: lăoshi)  
> The invented signs are legit signs we used in orchestra class, but much simpler. I did mix ASL to communicate and the violist did too with me. The nose thing puertorricans do is also legit. A french exchange student in my university pointed this out to me once we were walking on the hallways and he wanted to learn it. Puertorricans also use the chin to point at stuff even with empty hands.  
> Hola:hello in spanish  
> 'mano: shortened for Hermano, which means brother in spanish
> 
>  
> 
> LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE EVER DONE. Almost 7k. Next installation I swear I will divide it because more stuff happens and well it needs to be divided. And Han will appear more in the next ones. 
> 
> So yeah. Sorry for the wait. Now you know it took days to finish it legit. And so here i leave you guys as I go and prepare Ancient Airs and Dances. Ta ta!


End file.
